The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1887-02-27
ment the room door opened, and Gladys bchcld

ment the room door opened, and Gladys bcheld
the culprt brought in between two men.
"Caught her, YOU sec, sir,n said the groom.
at was good thought to send TO the junction.
She walked into the trap as quiet as q lamb
There she was, taking her ticket for tho half
past ono train, as inncrcent as though she'd got
Observation-Disclosures tied up In the handkerchief
The jewels are all there, take IL. She had
the sense TO give In, too, as soon Us she saw II
was all up. Only wanted to know whether her
husband had got safe of"
The bundle was put upon the table, the hand
kerchief-a large, coarse, aud strong one,
knottcd together by the four corners-unticd,
and tlaras, sprays. nccklcts, bracelets, gilt
tering heap Of diamonds, and other precious
stones were disclosed, Just as they had been
taken from their cases, to he the more portable.
To none prcsont-not even Mrs. Castor, who
had entered the room In obedience TO her sons
summons, and was whispering some kindly, re-
assuring words TO the trembling girl-was the
sight OF the Jewels more welcome than to Gladys
Lenstcr
"Indeed you must not blame yourself"
.'Shc is not to blame" put In the culpnt,
'shc's true as steel ladies and gentlemen, and
you were In trouble and she could help you,
and she was ready to 20 through anything.
H." with side look at Gladys, "shc was a
little too ready to be taken in It isn't for me to
say so,m .,.,,, .,,,,,,,,.,,,.,, o,., ,.,
| a little mouc.
But she had found champion eager to take
up the glove In her defense. at is not dcsira-
BILE that young lady should possess the kind
of knowledge that would render her capable Of
coping with the trickery that has been practiced
upon Miss Lenster," said Philip CASTOR.
slow flush rose to the wOman's cheeks and
her bold eyes fell. ~ know the difference,
sir beg your pardon Miss, and the next
time There, I'm not going to be soft. The
next time | get into fxI must ge. out of II the
best way can. You won't give me the chance
| FOR some time. suppose. But II might have
been worse. Bob's safe anyhow, and you may
do as you like with me-" recklessly.
"Wherc shall we put her until the police
come, sir T asked one of the men,
CASTOR reflected few moments. ~ think
ycs.the little front.room, Saunders. Just turn
the key in the lock-"
"The north room, ?" inquiringly. "Shall
VIC stay to watch her, some of usp"
"No. ] Will speak to her myself presently.
After little reflection she may be inclined to
give us some clue to find those who left her to
take the larger share of the risks"
| at was not like Mr.. CASTOR to make such
mistake as to put his prisoner into a room
| where she had only to unlatch the French win
dow, opening to the ground, aud walk out into
the park, whence she could so easily escape"
afterward said the servants among themselves.
| Nor did he express the displeasurc that
might have been expected when n few hours
later II was discovered that the prisoner had
escaped. BY his "mistake" GLADYS Lenster
was spared the having to appear as witness,
had been practiced upon her in open court.
Meanwhile, odly desrous now to get back TO
| her mother without delay, she was on her way
home, accompanied by her old friend, Dr. llar-
| land, Philip CASTOR, and one of the men ser
wants TO be left on guard ut the rcctory.
DIR. Harland had his Jest with Gladys, MS they
talked the matter over on the way. But she
was accustomed to his badinnge and held her
own, even when he threw out little hints about
HAT.
been taken In by SO clumsy plot
''Just what meant to say to your" thought
Gladys.
"You showed great power of sclf-control,
Miss Lenster," said Gaston.
eyes; you did not make the slightest attempt
to defend YOURSELF" smilingly said the good
Doctor, keeping up the jesting tone.
"Against five! No; that would have been
wasteof energy; better allow you to deceive your
selves since you chose to do so," she smilingy
replied as hint to him that she had not been
the only one TO be taken In. "But II nigh,
have been much worse for me. / am very crate
full to you for doing your. spiriting so gently,
Mr.. Castor. You see, was bound not tC
know what should have done had you beer
rough with me-" Remembering that even tc
the woman he had imagined her TO be he was
considerate and forbearing: slow much owe
eyes bent so admiringly upon her, and the
thought that he looked just the knight-loyal,
brave, and true-to succor damsels In distress
On his side, he was telling himself that no
knight, past, present, or to come, could have a
more daintily lovely lady to do battle for. He
had been quick to note, with the appreciation
of man Of the world, how free she was from
any girlsh elf-consciousness-ho entirely
careless as to the impression she might be max
ing.
While they went over the rectory grounds tc
make sure there was no one lurking abou,
Gladys ran to her mothers room, and found hei
sleeping peacefully, ALL unconscious of what had
taken place.
"Only o'clock ~ murmured Gladys, as sh,
stood on the balcony watching the two men as
they walked down the road and listening to the
chimes from the old church tower; 81 feel as
| though had gone through the experience of q
lifetime y adding, with u little sigh, land nj
for nothing"
As time went on, she was to find that II hat
not been gone through for nothing PhiliI
CASTOR had found his fate. The critical, hard
to-plcasc, and, In the matrimonial market, dc
SPARED of owner of Eastleigh, who had been
little proud Of his invulnerabilty, succumbet
at once, and forever, as such men sometimes do
to one who made not the slightest effort to at
tract. He knew his own mind, and was not tn
man to let the grass grow under his feet. In
very short time the old story was being enacted
over again In the rectory garden. Philip Castor
had won his Wife,. Nepmdn in LOngmdn'
Magazine.